


Remember Me

by MeeszyAlexy



Series: Aribeth/Anaril [3]
Category: Neverwinter Nights
Genre: Chapter 4 Spoilers, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-16
Updated: 2012-07-16
Packaged: 2017-11-10 02:13:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/461132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeeszyAlexy/pseuds/MeeszyAlexy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anaril confronts his dearest friend and unrequited love about her actions in Neverwinter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Remember Me

Anaril, the elven ranger, Hero of Neverwinter, tumbled out of the portal. He never liked them, and yet he put up with them because he expected many during his adventures. Despite this, he still cursed inwardly - he despised the sensation of going through a portal. Linu came after him, clumsily falling to the ground. Anaril expected that she must've tripped on something and fell into the portal - as usual. He smiled at her, offering his hand to pull her back up. Linu sighed at her own clumsiness, and took his hand.

"I should've known." Anaril teased. "And here I was, thinking I could sneak through this place, put an arrow through Maugrim, get his Word, and go." He laughed as Linu gave him a shove, when she realised something.

"What about Aribeth, dear?"

Anaril's face fell. They were silent for a moment as Aereal, Anaril's dire wolf companion passed through the portal. Eventually, Anaril said in a cracked voice. "What about her?"

"Won't we have to..." Her voice drifted off as she remembered that she was treading on forbidden territory.

"No... I..."

She put a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe we'll be able to save her, Anaril. Save her from herself."

"...I hope you're right. Thank you." He smiled at her sadly. Aereal came over to Anaril and licked his hand, trying to comfort him. Anaril stroked Aereal's head absent-mindedly, and all three of them went through the door.

And there she was, standing there, with a huge sword glowing with an eerie red energy, malice and amusement in her eyes - Aribeth.

Anaril froze for a second before walking slowly towards her. But before he could say a word to her, Aribeth had already began speaking.

"Anaril - I am not surprised to see you here. You have become quite the thorn in Maugrim's side. Though he would never admit it, I believe you have impressed him with your accomplishments."

He just stared at her in her gleaming black armour, listening to her speak like that - she really did approve of Maugrim and the lizard-queen Morag.

"I, however, am not too proud to admit my respect for you. You have thwarted us at almost every turn, Anaril. Yet in the end Morag's will cannot be denied."

However, he couldn't kill her.

"If you surrender I will let you live." He said, looking directly into Aribeth's eyes.

"I was about to make you the same offer, Anaril - though I suspect Maugrim would rather sacrifice you to his new Queen." She said tauntingly, smirking.

Anaril wasn't sure what to make of that. Did this mean she cared about him enough to not kill him - or was it because she thought he'd be useful as a champion of the Old Ones?

"Morag is a voracious mistress - it seems there are never enough dead to satisfy her hunger."

"Is that why you kill the innocent of Neverwinter?" Anaril snapped. 

Aribeth's smirk was replaced with a scowl. "You dare call these people innocent? The citizens of Neverwinter screamed for Fenthick's death - and Lord Nasher gave it to them! His blood is on their hands, Anaril! We are all guilty here, and we are all deserving of death!"

"Is that why you destroyed Neverwinter? Out of a perverted sense of justice?" He couldn't stand what she was saying. All of this was because of Fenthick?! Fenthick wouldn't have wanted this, I know it! He thought as he grasped his longsword's handle tightly.

"Justice? There is no such thing. I came here for vengeance. But I am not responsible for Neverwinter's fall. My position at the head of the armies only hastened the inevitable end, Anaril. Neverwinter was doomed as soon as Maugrim unleashed the Wailing Death!"

It wouldn't have been had you stayed with Neverwinter. We could be fighting Maugrim together now... if you stayed with me... with Neverwinter.

"Can you not feel it in the air? An evil cloud covers the city - the shadow of Morag. The Queen of the Old Ones has awakened, and none shall survive her coming."

"Morag is just using you, Aribeth! She'll kill you as soon as you've served her purpose." He yelled, trying to make her see reason.

"I am no blind fool like Maugrim. I know Morag will betray me. In fact, I'm counting on it. I deserve death for what I have done."

Her words shocked Anaril. Does that mean that deep down, somewhere... she regrets betraying Neverwinter?

"But when I die, I will have the satisfaction of knowing Neverwinter was made to pay for what happened to Fenthick!"

"But Fe-" His words were cut off by Aribeth once again.

"There is nothing more to say, Anaril. It is too late for words. We must settle this in blood!"

Within seconds, Aribeth had cast a divine spell on him that made him dazed. He swung slightly on the spot, and Aribeth began her next spell, only to be interrupted by Aereal, who leaped up on her, trying to get her throat. Aribeth shoved the wolf off from her and knocked him to the ground. Aereal yelped in pain as he landed rather clumsily on his head. 

Aribeth was ready to stab Aereal when Linu suddenly cast a spell that made flames strike at her from above. Aribeth yelled in anger, and cast a spell that made a vortex of destruction appear, on Linu and Aereal. Linu screamed in pain as it tore her asunder, killing both her and Aereal instantly, and Anaril could only watch helplessly as they were destroyed by it. 

The spell wore off on him, the shock of Linu's death forcing himself to break it and avenge his dear friend and animal companion - even though he knew that they would be saved in time by Tyr's clerics, it didn't stop him from lunging at Aribeth in a furious rage with his longsword. He had finally accepted that he really would have to fight her.

Aribeth, not expecting him to break the spell upon him so quickly, only just managed to parry his attack in time. They parried for hours, neither of them managing to touch the other - they were both equally matched in skill. 

Finally, Anaril stabbed her with the sword when her guard was down. Aribeth put her hand on her wound and collapsed, blood spilling from it at a rapid pace. Anaril, still furious from the deaths of Linu and Aereal, was about to land the finishing blow, when suddenly, Aribeth yelled, "I yield! I yield!"

And, to his own surprise, he stopped. Something told him that Aribeth wasn't trying to stop him, to stall him so she could pull off a surprise attack while he was still talking - the part that still trusted her, that still cared about her.

He wanted to heal her wound - he still had a couple of potions that would take care of it - but he didn't know whether she wanted him to heal her or not.

So he nodded at her to speak, crouching so that they were at eye level.

"You have come far since our first meeting, Anaril. I can no longer stand against you." Aribeth said weakly. "Had Morag foreseen how powerful you would become, perhaps she would have chosen you to be her champion instead of turning her lidless eye in my direction."

"I would never bow down to the Queen of the Old Ones." Anaril said.

"I... I suppose that is true. You have the strength of your convictions, something I lost long ago." She seemed lost in thought for a moment. Anaril wondered what she was thinking about - her life as a paladin? Or their times together? - either way, he waited until she spoke again.

"Tell me, Anaril - how can you go on, knowing you fight for a city that is doomed to fall when the Old Ones return?"

"I still believe Neverwinter can be saved." As well as you.

"I have seen the future in my dreams, Anaril. Neverwinter will vanish in a blaze of flame when the Old Ones are reborn - it is inevitable."

"There is still hope." Always.

"Hope?" She laughed bitterly. "All hope within my heart perished with Fenthick. He was taken from me, the light of my life, and I was left alone in the empty darkness."

"How did you come to this, Aribeth? Surely there is more to it than Fenthick's death." Anaril said softly.

"Is the execution of my lover not justification enough for what I have become? They say I betrayed Neverwinter, but Neverwinter betrayed Fenthick first! With Fenthick's death I lost more than a lover! He was a devoted servant of both Tyr and Neverwinter, and I saw how his devotion was repaid!" Aribeth was furious and bitter again, and Anaril almost expected her to fight him again.

"How could I believe in a god who allowed such an atrocity? How could I serve a city so mercilessly cruel? When Fenthick was executed I lost my lover, my faith, my loyalty - everything I believed in crumbled around me!"

Anaril put a hand on her shoulder. "It sounds like you're trying to justify what you did."

"I... I am simply telling you what happened, Anaril. How I... how I came to break my vows and betray all that I stood for."

"It is not too late, Aribeth. There is still a chance to make things right." 

"Look around you, Anaril. Look at the death and destruction I have brought to Neverwinter. I can never make up for this. And I have been too long under Morag's power. The Queen has a... a hold on me. I could not stand with you against her, even if... even if I wanted to. I cannot help the city."

"Your knowledge of the Luskan forces could save hundreds of lives." Anaril hoped beyond hope that he could talk her out of it somehow.

"I could bring my information to Lord Nasher and Aarin Gend, true. But it would not be enough to turn the tide of the battle. Morag's power will bring victory to the Luskan troops. Perhaps a few hundred lives could be saved, though the city would still fall. But what will that avail me? Lord Nasher would still have me executed for what I have done."

"You would do this to save the people of Neverwinter, not to save yourself."

"I should sacrifice myself for the sake of the people who demanded Fenthick's blood? Do you really believe me capable of so selfless an act, Anaril? Once I would have gladly sacrificed myself for this city. But I have changed, Anaril. I am no longer the Aribeth you knew. Now I walk a different path."

Suddenly, Anaril remembered something that Aribeth had said, before they set off for Luskan:

"You have been a fine friend, Anaril. Here... take this. It is a ring that belonged to my father. I want you to have it." Aribeth showed Anaril a beautiful gold ring with elven words engraved within it. "Let it symbolize our friendship. Perhaps if... something were to happen to me... it would remind you of me in days to come... "

"What do you mean?" Anaril said, alarmed.

"I don't mean anything, my friend. It is... simply fatigue and worry that make me speak such. Please... take the ring."

"Very well, I will take it." Anaril gently took the ring from Aribeth's hand and clutched it tightly in his hand.

"That makes me glad. You do me a great honor by carrying it. Let us speak more later. Go, Anaril... find where the heart of this cult resides and return to me. I wish you luck with all my heart."

And right there and then, Anaril knew what to do.

"The woman who gave me this ring would not have said such a thing. " He said, lifting up his hand to show her it.

"You... you kept my ring? After my betrayal? After all the death and misery I have brought to you and the city? But... but why?"

"To remember you as you once were, Aribeth. And in the hopes you would one day remember yourself."

"I... I am not who I once was, Anaril. I... I cannot... it would not be possible... I cannot go back. Not after what I have done."

"Then go forward. Leave your hate and vengeance behind." He found her hand grasped it tightly.

Aribeth's eyes widened. "Your words are... wise, Anaril. Perhaps... perhaps I can set aside my hatred." She paused for a moment, considering it carefully. "If I... if I turn myself over to Lord Nasher for execution... Many lives may yet be saved. At least... at least then my own death would have some meaning." She squeezed his hand. "But you... you will have to trust me in this, Anaril. Maugrim waits for you behind this door, you must face him now - time is of the essence." 

"But I dare not accompany you, for fear I will fall once again under Morag's spell. Do you trust me enough to let me go, if I vow to surrender myself to Lord Nasher? Can you take that risk?"

"I trust you to do what is right, Aribeth."

"Then... I shall leave Maugrim to you, and I... I shall deliver myself to Lord Nasher and tell him what I know of the Luskan troop movements. If we are lucky, my information may help some of Neverwinter's citizens escape with their lives. And I... I will submit to Lord Nasher's judgment, whatever the consequences may be." She looked straight into Anaril's eyes and let go of his hand. "I am grateful to you for this, Anaril - this chance to... to do what is right. I wanted you to know that before I go, in case... in case Lord Nasher has me executed before you return."

"Go to meet your fate with honor, Lady Aribeth." Anaril responded, pulling out a healing potion from his pack and handing it to her.

"Lady Aribeth?" She chuckled at that, "It has been a long time since anyone called me that. Thank you, Anaril." She drank the contents of the potion, and Anaril could see the wound close up and the bleeding stop. She stood up and took her sword from the floor, putting it away.

"I... I must go to Lord Nasher now, while my resolve is still strong. You must face Maugrim without me. Goodbye, Anaril - and good luck." And with that, she walked off, back to the portal in which he, Linu and Aereal had used only moments before.

Anaril stood there, smiling to himself as he took out his Stone of Recall. He would find Linu and Aereal at the Temple of Tyr, and then go kill Maugrim. But right now, he just wanted to savour this feeling of happiness, of triumph, if only for a moment.

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this while listening to "Remember Me" by the Birthday Massacre. It's oddly appropriate for Aribeth in this fic.
> 
> Oh, Anaril... you poor thing. Here he is, getting his hopes up... and Aribeth is going to get hanged anyway. Poor guy.
> 
> I might write about Anaril confronting Lord Nasher about his decision later. He'll probably snap and nearly stab Lord Nasher, only for the guards and the Neverwinter Nine to come along... oh the angst!
> 
> Fun Fact: The fight described is almost exactly what it was like when I fought Aribeth in NWN. However, Anaril also had used the Elemental Swarm harp (and seriously, have you tried writing about a guy just randomly playing a harp in battle to summon elementals seriously? Aribeth would've died laughing!), and I didn't mention that he kept disrupting her spells after the Implosion spell.
> 
> Anaril Peine (fuck yeah combs) and his Dire Wolf Companion belong to me... and nothing else does.


End file.
